August Rush 聲夢奇緣

It's been a long time not watching a movie in cinemas. Occasionally I hang around iTune trailers or movie comments on magazines to have a grasp of what's on the stage, just somehow unconsciously prepare myself not to be overwhelmed by the daunting scenes. Heavy engagement with works spare me from keeping such practice, and miss this piece of cake - August Rush.

I'm incorrectly recommended that it's a Class I film telling a story of a boy growing up and become a musical genius. Not totally wrong, but far more than that. My mind was caught by the first minute of the movie. So pure, so peaceful. An innocent boy is standing in the middle of a field, listening to the music of the nature - wind, birds, trees... The theme of the movie immediately popped up - the nature connects to everyone's heart. I can see God there, everywhere...

The story is not a happy one instead (I won't tell the details, go and watch and feel by yourself). What is so amazing and touching to me is that everyone should be born to like music, with passions, connections, feelings and motivations. The hearts are connected by music, which is best illustrated in the film the concordance between the guitar and voice of the pub rock Luis, the vivid and passionate cello player Lyla, and the rhapsody without words in the heart of Ivan. I'm impressed very much of such representation which draw my tears several times.

Ivan follows what he hear to find his parents never met, surely not a trivial route. Meeting with the Wizard, a mountebank abducting abandoned children for his lives, the musical sparks of Ivan start enlightening. Fast-talks from Wizard is certainly out of catering Ivan's passion without heart, but the same words are what Ivan truly 'learned' from the mother nature. Moon, stars, and the whole universe are connected with music, and so does every heart. Such (self-)mentoring is fair enough for Ivan to say "He teaches me everything" later on. I don't know if I have come across similar scenario before, but this is exactly a piece of pseudo memory deep in my heart and soul for many years. I was Ivan once upon a time.

Church always symbolizes a place of shelter, so did employed in the movie and Ivan met Hope, a junior church choir singer with angel's voice. Together with another minor-to-audience but major-to-Ivan character Arthur, hymns of entreats to the Lord filled up the movies. In the chapel, Ivan got a touch with the piano and then organ, and his improvisations are so daunting and enchanting. Here I could not stop my tears running in my heart when the organ blows. I pray, "God, you are so grand, so embracing, fill me over, with your immense love and the beauty of music. Amen."

When people have each other in their hearts, the signals get stronger and stronger when they get closer. (Certainly it's true when you're dancing with a comely lass :P) Ivan, Lyla, and Luis - the Connelly family finally reunited , in the embrace of August's Rhapsody in C Major. Ivan's request for performing his over-genius masterpiece is that it has to be heard by many many people. It means a lot to me, too. The music of the nature, and the connections between people, should be once again unraveled and awakened in everyone's heart and soul. New York is chosen as the story begins and ends, so suitable and yet contrasting. Concrete walls are shielding our hearts, heavy traffic and 24-hour work schedules insulate us from each other. However, these visible obstacles are nothing when you listen to the whisperings all around with your hearts, just like the Connelly family. God's words always whisper around your ears, do you hear?

I'm still got stuck in my heart with the movie. It means too much to me.